


Recharging

by supershadsy



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 05:24:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6840655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supershadsy/pseuds/supershadsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shadow has been playing hooky from reporting to GUN HQ, so Rouge goes on a mission to find him. </p><p>A piece for <a href="http://metaknight.tumblr.com">metaknight on Tumblr!</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Recharging

“...And therefore, if you can locate the signals, we’ll be able to get a lock-on.”

Rouge leaned back in her seat at the GUN conference room, eyes glazing over while the Commander flicked through slides on his presentation.  _ This is all amateur stuff,  _ she thought, stifling a yawn.  _ I know, this isn’t for me, this is for everyone else in the room, but if I knew this is all I’d be doing today, I would’ve rather stayed home.  _

“Agent Rouge?”

“Hm?” She straightened up immediately. “What is it?”

He stared at the empty seat beside her. “Where is Shadow?”

She rolled her head around to it and shrugged. “I don’t know. He does what he wants.”

The Commander frowned. “Rouge. You  _ live _ with him.”

“So? I’m not here to babysit the prince of darkness.” When she received not even a trace of humor in reply, she sighed and turned to her other side, where E-123 Omega stood. “Omega, where’s Shadow?”

“CALCULATING…” Omega’s eyes lit up, and Rouge could hear the faint whirring of a hard drive within his casing. “SHADOW’S COORDINATES SUGGEST HE IS SOMEWHERE AROUND THE MYSTIC RUIN.”

“Huh,” Rouge said, hands on her hips. “Wonder if he’s visiting Sonic.”

“NEGATIVE,” Omega replied abruptly. “COORDINATES ARE TOO FAR WEST FROM LOCATION ‘TAILS WORKSHOP’.” 

“Oookay.”  _ Well, that doesn’t help. I guess...the only thing west from the ruins is Angel Island. Don’t know what he’d be doing there, but…   _ Her wings flicked as she turned back to the Commander. “What, do you want me to go haul him back here?” 

“Please,” the Commander grumbled. “We haven’t seen his face in a week, only through voice. I have some things to brief him on.”

“Sure, sure.” She adjusted her bust in her top, much to the Commander’s distaste, then winked. “If I can find an Emerald, I can surely find one shaped like a hedgehog.” 

“DO YOU REQUIRE SUPPORT?” Omega asked, shaking the room as he turned toward her.

“There’s not going to be anything to blow up. Not even a single robot,” she replied. “I don’t think you’d have much fun.”

“UNDERSTOOD. I WILL ANNIHILATE ELSEWHERE.” 

“I’m sure the Commander can find you some nice new weapons to test,” Rouge suggested, patting his metal exterior, even while the Commander crossed his arms. “See you boys later~.”

* * *

 

By the time the shorelines of the Mystic Ruin came into view, the sun was hovering just above the water, and the cool ocean breeze lifted under Rouge’s wings.  _ Let’s see...there’s Tails’ Workshop.  _ As she squinted, she spotted a blue speck laid back on the roof, and she dropped down lower in the sky. She whistled through her teeth, and it bounced up. “Yo, Rouge!” Sonic shouted from below, waving. “You goin’ to see Knux?”

“Not specifically,” she replied, dropping even further, so she was level with the roof, and hovered there. “I might if I see him. I’m actually on the lookout for Mr. Ultimate.”

Sonic barked out a laugh. “Oh, Shadow, huh?” He ran a finger under his nose. “Didn’t know he was around these parts.”

_ So that answers my question. He doesn’t know either.  _ She tapped her ear, and her communicator flashed over her eye. “Looks like he’s closer to Angel Island. Wonder if he’s visiting Rad Red...?”

Sonic sat back on the roof and crossed his legs, hands behind his quills. “Maybe. If you get the chance, tell Knux that we gotta spar tomorrow. My arms are gettin’ jiggly.”

He wiggled them, and Rouge snickered and shook her head. “All right, big guy. I’ll send him your way.” 

She flapped her wings in large, sweeping motions, giving her air, and kept flying west, the forest spreading out around her.  _ I’m surprised I don’t do this more often, fly out to location. I usually just let GUN drop me by helicopter. The breeze is nice.  _ Her ears flicked back as she picked up speed, even spreading her arms out.  _ I guess this is why Sonic goes for all those runs. I wonder if Shadow went out to do the same?  _

A green speck blinked on her radar, and it pointed directly to the floating Angel Island to her right, and she swooped over to it.  _ Shit, I didn’t think he would  _ actually  _ be visiting Knuckles. Unless he’s there without him knowing.  _ She skimmed down to the bridge, breaking into a run as soon as she hit the planks, and slowed to a walk up to the island. Knuckles’ shack had a dim light coming from the window, flickering and warm.  _ So, he’s around, at least.  _ The setting sun dazzled inside the facets of the Master Emerald, reflecting prisms of green on the ground.  _ This is still the biggest, most beautiful gem I’ve ever set my eyes on,  _ she thought to herself, her fingers twitching.  _ Such a shame I never get to take it… _

“Rouge.”

Her wings flapped as adrenaline spiked through her neck. Shadow emerged from around the other side, hands behind his back. “There you are,” she said with a sigh. “Didn’t know you and the Guardian were buddy-buddy.”

“We are not,” Shadow replied. “What possessed you to come looking for me? I planned to be back by nightfall.”

“I’m playing truant officer for GUN,” she replied, a smirk crossing her muzzle. “Did you know that you’re supposed to  _ show up _ every once in awhile to your workplace?” 

Shadow scoffed. “Hmph. It is not as if there is any emergency going on. I will report when I am needed.”

“Well, guess what?” She posed with a hand on her hip and used the other to point to him. “You are. Preferably soon.”

Shadow shook his head and folded his arms. “Fine,” he grumbled.

Rouge snickered as she glanced at the sky, just beginning to bud with stars as the sun continued to set--a hazy mix of deep blue washed with hues of orange.  _ You’ve never been a conversationalist, have you?  _ She shook her head.  _ But, the question still remains.  _ “So, what  _ were  _ you doing here, anyway?”

Shadow looked off toward the horizon. “Recharging,” he replied. 

Rouge blinked. “What?”

He paced over to the Master Emerald, running his fingertips over the surface. “The Chaos Emeralds used to reside here, on these pillars, and they would draw their energy from the Master. They still have the capacity to do so.” He pulled a green Emerald from his quills and spun it in one hand. It had a slightly brighter hue than the Master Emerald in front of him, and when he touched the two together, it glowed in his glove. 

“Oooh,” Rouge cooed, mesmerized by the light, until Shadow pulled it away, pocketing the Emerald.

“The same goes for myself,” he continued. “As a being with Chaos energy running through my veins as a life source, I too can charge with the Master Emerald’s power. The effect is...calming. Rejuvenating.” 

“Thought you wouldn’t need any of that, handsome,” Rouge teased, walking up to him and bumping his shoulder. “You’re the ultimate lifeform and all.”

“Perhaps I don’t, but it helps.” His eyes lowered, flickering to Rouge for only a moment. “I need to always be at my peak.”

Rouge opened her mouth to say something in response, but was cut off by Shadow himself touching the Emerald, a spark erupting from his fingertips. “If I am not at my best, how will I protect this world?” His fingers curled, twitched on its surface. “Long after Sonic is gone. Long after the Guardian is gone. After Eggman has passed his schemes onto another.” He glanced to Rouge again, his red eyes haunting and somber. “After you...are gone.”

“Shadow…” she murmured.  _ So...that’s what this is about.  _

“I will outlive you all. When this world is a hollow husk, I will be all that is left.” His consonants ground in his teeth as his fist balled on the side of the Master Emerald. “And I...need the strength to persevere.”

_ Shadow the Hedgehog,  _ Rouge mused to herself as he finally fell into silence.  _ The ultimate lifeform, the result of science and alien bio-technology. You were so hellbent on destroying the world for revenge when I first met you, your memories confused from fifty years locked in a test tube and Chaos knows what else.  _ Tentatively, she reached out to touch his back, run a hand over his spines, and he did not resist.  _ You’ve come a long way since then.  _

_ (“If the world chooses to turn against me, I will fight like I always have--!”)  _

_ (“Know that I will be by your side, no matter what.”) _

_ A...long way.  _

“Do you doubt that you will?” Rouge said softly, tilting her head.

He shook his head once. “Of course not,” he said. “And if I did have doubts...I would swallow them whole.” Shadow’s voice dropped to a whisper. “There is no room for doubt.”

The bat chuckled, her ear flicking. “Nope,” she replied, her hand more firm on his back. “There’s also no room for navel-gazing either. You already know what you’re about, so why are you worried?”

He sighed through his nose, and even in the steadily increasing dark, she spotted a smirk on his muzzle. “I’m not worried, Rouge.” 

She bit the inside of her cheek.  _ You have your reservations,  _ she thought as her eyes grazed over him, only the red markings truly standing out, besides the glint in his inhibitor rings and in his eyes.  _ But sometimes...sometimes I wonder… _

_ “Hey!”  _

The abrasive shout broke the night--Rouge flinched, but Shadow barely budged, only his eyes widening in response. Backing up around the Emerald, she spotted Knuckles standing in the doorway of his shack, arms crossed and frowning. “The hell are you guys doing out here?” he asked, rubbing his eyes. 

“We were just admiring your girlfriend,” Rouge quipped with a wink. “Don’t worry, we won’t steal her away from you~.” 

Knuckles growled, baring his teeth. “Well, whatever you’re doing, just take it somewhere else! I’m trying to sleep!”

“Knuxie, it’s only seven o’clock.”

“I wake up at four-thirty!” he shouted.  _ For someone who’s been trying to sleep, you sure are noisy.  _ “Just because I’m not some military dog like you guys, doesn’t mean I don’t have to train up too!” 

Rouge waved her hand. “Yeah, yeah,” she said. “We’ll get out of your hair. Oh, by the way, Sonic wanted me to tell you that he wants to spar sometime.”

“Sonic?” Knuckles questioned, then frowned again. “Chaos, why didn’t he just come over himself! Whatever, good night!”

He pounded on the entrance frame  _ (only because he can’t slam the door,  _ Rouge mused) and disappeared back into the hut, now completely dark. “Well, looks like we’ve overstayed our welcome,” Rouge sighed, crossing her arms. “What do you say? I can fly you back.”

Shadow reached back for the Chaos Emerald in his quills, tossing it in his hand. “That will not be necessary,” he stated. With his free hand, he reached for hers, cupping her palm in his. “I assume you will insist that we go back to GUN Headquarters.”

She squeezed his palm. “You’re a mind reader,” she replied.

He chuckled. “Trust me, that is not my expertise.” 

Shadow let the sentence hang, but only briefly before their surroundings disappeared in a flash.

* * *

 

Sometime after midnight that same night, Rouge sunk herself into a hot bath, overflowing with bubbles and a glass of wine at her side. “I deserve this,” she muttered to herself, taking a sip of the sweet, pink drink.  _ I sat through at least ten more briefings today after hours, for Chaos’ sake. And I have the day off tomorrow, because-- _

Three knocks on the bathroom door. “May I come in?” Shadow asked.

“Only if you’re going to join me~,” she replied, taking another sip of her wine. 

His sigh was audible as he entered, carefully keeping her eyes at her face, even though her body was mostly obscured by the crowns of bubbles. “I will pass,” he said, but brought a box out from behind his back. “It is past midnight.”

“Yes…?” 

“Therefore, it is your birthday today,” he said. He carefully set the box on the edge of the tub. “I hope it is worth the effort.”

“Hey, wait,” she said, waving her hand. He was already on his way out the door, but he stopped short when she asked. “You’re not even going to stay for me to see?”

He turned around, back against the bathroom door, shutting it in the process. After the lock clicked, quills splayed back against the door, he nodded. “Well? I am staying.”

Rouge held back a smile as she clicked open the long, thin jewelry box. Inside was a necklace, adorned with turquoise and green gems, carefully shined and faceted against a gold chain. Each of the gems shimmered in the white, bathroom light. “Oh Chaos, Shadow…” Rouge cooed, scooting up in the tub. “This is beautiful…”

“It was difficult to explain to the Commander  _ why  _ I had been absent for the past week with you in the room,” Shadow replied, his gaze never leaving her face. “Under the supervision of Knuckles, I have been searching for gems around the Mystic Ruin. It is arduous work.”

“Isn’t it?” Rouge replied, her tone still distracted by the necklace. 

He rolled his eyes. “I had the gems polished and set from a contact from Vector. He nearly wanted to buy it off me when it was complete, but I refused.” 

The words coming out of Shadow’s mouth finally began to resonate.  _ Shadow got me a custom made necklace for my birthday and went looking for the gems in it himself.  _ She whipped her head to him. “You…”

“Do you like it?” he interrupted. 

Rouge gingerly pulled it out of the box, clasping it around her neck as the gems graced her collarbone. “Thank you, handsome,” she murmured, running her fingertips over each jewel. “You sure did go through a lot to get this, huh?”

Shadow nodded deeply. “For you,” he answered softly.

Without another word, he left her alone with that thought, leaving the door a crack open. Rouge took a long drink of her wine, letting the fuzzy feeling ebb in her head and her chest.  _ Oh, Shadow. You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?  _


End file.
